Lore Will Know My Name: Dark Paladin Book One
by theBookwormMarauder
Summary: For as long as she can remember, Aerylae has longed to escape her tiny village and become one of Lore's most famous warriors. Book one in the Dark Paladin Saga.
1. And So It Begins

Aerylae was sweating profusely underneath her heavy wool skirt and tunic. Two girls chased each other down a crumbling stone street, clad in the customary light shift and leggings the younger children in her village wore. She eyed them jealously. Years before she too had been allowed the same carefree getup.

"You are a young woman now, Aerylae," she muttered in a sing-song voice, mocking her mother. "I won't hear another word. Fire lord knows something must be done to tame you before you reach a marriageable age!"

"I'm not getting married, Ami!" she had explained. "I'm becoming a warrior!"

Her oldest sister, Lyra, had sniffed disdainfully from the corner where she sat mending a pair of breeches. She had walked over and supported their white faced mother to a chair in the small. From behind the cloth barriers that halved the small-one roomed hut, she could hear her other siblings snickering as well.

Aerylae could feel her face grow red. She reached up and tangled a hand in her wild, carroty hair, staring at her mother and sister defiantly.

"And how do you plan to do _that_?" Lyra sneered. "Battleon's a week's ride, and even if you did manage to get there, what would you do? Nothing," she said, cutting off Aerylae's response. "They would laugh at you, a peasant girl wanting to be a warrior. Accept who you are, Aery." Lyra's face softened as she used the affectionate nickname. She placed a hand on her sister's shoulder. "Accept who you are and forget these silly dreams."

Hot tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, and Aerylae turned heel and ran.

Her oldest and favorite sibling, Aldon, found her later sitting in the village horsepen, leaned against a fencepost and feeding handfuls of grass to her favorite horses.

"It's getting dark, Aery," he said cheerfully, placing a hand on the fence and nimbly jumping over it.

Aerylae pushed her face against her knees, hugging them to her chest, willing him to go away. When she finally looked up he was lying on his back next to her, a blade of grass hanging hap-hazardly out of the corner of his mouth. Aldon's green eyes, identical to her own, twinkled at her. She hid her face again.

"Aw, c'mon Aery, it's not that bad."

"Our whole family just publicly mocked my greatest dream. Of course it's not that bad Aldon, what am I thinking?"

"Pa wasn't there," he said, rubbing his chin in mock thought. "And Parin's too young to speak, let alone laugh."

Aerylae snorted, but her lips twitched in the beginnings of a smile.

"There we go," Aldon said, standing up and brushing off his overtunic and breeches. He offered a hand to his little sister, smiling amusedly when she huffily refused the outstretched hand.

"I'm going to find some way," she said quietly, as they walked the worn cobble street that ran the length of the small village.

Although she did not give any indication as to what she was talking about, Aldon knew. He sighed, and stepped in front of his little sister. He placed two large hands on her small shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes, green meeting green.

"I know you are, Aery," he said, smiling. Aerylae's eyes widened in surprise.

"You think I will?" she whispered.

"Yes," he said, smiling. "You're too stubborn not to." They were almost at their home, and he glanced at the leather door flap warily, before muttering "horsepen tomorrow morning" and leading her inside.

Dawn had found her beside the circular wooden enclosure, peering eagerly into the early morning mist. She had been there for only minutes when she heard voices and footsteps moving towards her.

Crouching low beside a fencepost, she removed her root-knife from her belt. The short, blunt knife was poor protection against anyone who wished her harm, but bandits had been known to frequent the woods that surrounded the small village.

"Aery, are you here yet?" she heard a familiar voice call, and shoving the knife back into her belt pouch, ran over to Aldon's waiting arms. Her heavy, new clothing was foreign to her and it made running much harder.

He hugged her tightly, and turned, pulling her with him. There was a small group of boys, eyeing them wearily. She recognized them all as Aldon's friends: Garth, the Baker's son, Telen, the Blacksmith's apprentice, and Rilg, the horseman's son.

"Why is she here?" Rilg asked accusingly. "This is no place for a girl, let alone one who's been skirted already!"

"Let Aldon explain," Garth told Rilg. The look he sent at Aldon was cool.

"She's here because I want to teach her to fight," Aldon said calmly. Telen frowned.

"Aldon, this is madness! She'll run home crying and then we'll all be in such trouble you wouldn't believe!"

Aerylae glared at him. "No I won't!" she said, planting her fists on her hips.

Garth laughed. "Aerylae, you're a plucky girl, but this is men's work."

"She can learn," Aldon replied. "She's stubborner than the mules over younder," he said, gesturing to the horsepen. "You said she's plucky, and strong to boot. If we are in trouble for any of this, I will shoulder the blame."

"As will I," Aerylae said.

Rilg looked unconvinced, but Telen and Garth nodded their heads. "I suppose it wouldn't do any harm," Telen mused.

Aldon spent the rest of the morning carving a short treelimb into a sturdy stick. Garth showed her how to hold it and stand with it properly. After that, she was allowed to practice blocking with Telen.

The sun finally began to rise, and the four young men looked up in alarm.

"By the earth lord!" Aldon swore. "The whole family is awake by now! We've missed morning prayers!" He swung his own fighting stick deftly to his shouler. "Aery, we need to go now."

They walked the rest of the way in companionable silence. Aerylae was sore and she was sure she had more than a few bruises, but she felt deliriously happy.

That had been seven years ago. Aerylae was now seventeen and Aldon was twenty four, a man with a wife, children, and his own trade to worry about. He had long since stopped the stick-fight practices, but Aerylae continued with the boys her own age.

She reached the horsepen. Venturing into the forest and ducking warily behind a tree, she stripped off her heavy skirt and tunic, and pulled on a pair of leggings and a lighter tunic, supplied unknowingly by one of her younger sisters, Nelian. She reappeared again, carrying her fighting stick.

"Aerylae!" she heard Herek call. "Kirth thinks he can beat you this time!"

"He does, does he?"

"I do!" she heard Kirth call.

"I guess I'll have to make him see otherwise," she said, drooping her shoulders and sighing dramatically as she came in view of the boys. "Although it will be so hard, me being a denfenseless girl and all."

Herek snorted and Kirth rolled his eyes. It was common knowledge Aerylae could beat every boy old enough for stick practice with ease.

She took fighting her fighting stance a few handspans away from Kirth. He did the same, dropping his knees low and bending low so his elbows just barely touched the tops of his thighs.

"Ready – GO!" Herek shouted.

Thrust jab. Thrust jab block whirl. Block jab whirl thrust. Aerylae grinned as she prepared to deliver the final blow to knock Kirth off his feet –

"AERYLAE!" She looked up and saw her father striding towards her, looking angrier than he had ever seen him in his life. His face was almost the same color as his faded red hair and beard (although they were streaked with white).

"By the fire lord," she muttered, as he grabbed her elbow and tugged her furiously away from the clearing.


	2. Day of the Fire Lord

By nightfall, the whole village had heard of her disgrace. Aerylae sat sulkily on the wide pallet she shared with Paena, Nelian, and Alesyiana, her younger sisters. Lyra had been married long ago, to the butcher's son.

Eight-year old Padin poked his head through the sheet barrier that separated the family's sleeping quarters from the rest of the hut. He climbed on the pallet and sat next to Aerylae, looking at her stony face worridly.

"Don't worry, Aery," he said confidently. "Ami and Pa will find you a husband!"

She sighed, and ran a hand through his curly red hair. "But that's just it Padin," she whispered. "I don't want one."

She expected him to look shocked, but he just shrugged. "Then they won't," he declared, jumping off the pallet. "Oh, Aldon and Katelie are here!"

Aerylae jumped off the edge of the pallet, just as her brother came through the door. He swept her up in his arms.

"Katelie, Ami, and Lyra are in hysterics," he said, reffering to his wife, mother, and sister.

Aerylae looked up at him but saw no trace of anger in his face. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"For what?" Aldon asked, looking down at her in surprise. "You can't apologize to me for doing something you love, Aery, even if it's forbidden. Sit," he said, pulling her on the pallet beside him. He sighed, and tugged at his long red ponytail.

"What is it?" she asked worridly.

"Ami and Pa are looked for a husband for you," he said.

"And? They have ever since I was born!"

"Think Aerylae. Who is the only man in the village unmarried and of age?"

She frowned. Herek and Kirth were both too young. Telen and Garth had long since been married. That left –

"Fire lord," she swore loudly. "Not Rilg!"

Rilg had become the town drunk. He was a poor, crude man who was known around the village for his cruelty.

"They think it's what they need to do," he said quietly, his eyes filled with sadness. "The marriage will take place in ten days."

"I won't!" she said stubbornly. "They can't make me."

"The elders can," he whispered fearfully, naming the governing council of the village.

"They wouldn't!"

"They would."

"Then," she said, standing up and beginning to pace "I shall have to run."

Aldon looked up in surprise. "Run where? Town is a week's journey by horse, more than a month by foot! And you have no money!"

Aerylae looked at her brother calmly. "I have been planning this my whole life," she whispered. "I will take one of Pa's horses," she explained. "I will ride it to Battleon and sell it, then send the money home."

"And then what will you do?" Aldon asked, standing up and facing his sister. He was frowning.

"I am becoming a warrior," Aerylae said. "I will become a warrior, and someday Aldon, I swear it, all of Lore will know my name!"

* * *

The soft rays of the first sun touched the tips of the forest that circled the small village like a protecting mother's hand. The streets were still. 

It was the fire lord's festival day, the longest day of the year. In a village who pledged allegiance to the elemental lord of fire, it was the biggest festival of the year.Small, spicy fire cakes simmered gently on the hearthstones in every hut, not to be eaten until the last glimpse of the sun had disappeared behind the forest.

The leather door-flap of one of the huts moved aside, and a small, lean figure wrapped in a dark cloak stepped out, ducking swiftly into the shadows. It kept to the shadows, running softly until it reached the horsepen at the edge of the forest.

Finally, it stepped up to a horse with a brown tail and coat, whispering soft words into the beast's ear.

The figure swung itself onto the horse, still petting it encouragingly. With a click of the tongue and soft pressure into the animal's sides, it cantered out of the pen, into the dark forest. The horse went fast and faster until the hood of its rider's cloak blew away from her face.

Red hair streamed out behind her like liquid fire, glimmering in the rays of the new sun.

Aerylae threw back her head and laughed, all thoughts of stealth forgotten momentarily. Her green eyes danced happily as her horse sprinted at a terrific speed, carrying her further and further away from the small village behind her.

* * *

It was almost dusk when she heard the riders. Swearing quietly under her breath, Aerylae tugged gently at the horses reins, leading it behind a small group of trees just at the edge of the road she was traveling on. 

_Fire lord, let them wish no harm, Fire lord, let them wish no harm_

"Let's stop here Robina, we aren't going to get this to Warlic any faster with a lame horse."

"Artix, Arnau is only limping a little. Earth lord knows what are in these woods. We can't stray off the road to make camp. Plus, Warlic needs this."

"Sister," the man's voice was gentle, but he sounded slightly annoyed. Aerylae felt a pang in her chest for Aldon.

"Sister, open your eyes. You have the sharpest eyes of any ranger, but you can't see that your own horse lame?"

A sigh of annoyance from the female voice. "Fine. We'll wrap his leg and sit out the night, but I am leaving tomorrow morning before the sun, with or without you."

Artix chuckled. The sound was deep and rich. Peeking around the tree, Aerylae caught her first glimpse of the two travelers.

Robina wore the tall leather boots, short green tunic, and headscarf of a ranger. She had piercing blue eyes and through the long, thick brown hair that fell down her back, Aerylae could see an arrow holder. Closer inspection revealed a bow strapped to her horse's leg.

Artix was right. The horse was limping badly.

Artix turned towards his sister and Aerylae saw his face for the first time. While his sister had piercing blue eyes, he had clear brown ones. He wore his tousled brown hair cropped slightly longer than was customary for the men in her village.

Aerylae eyed his gold-trimmed armor, sweeping crimson cloak, and the golden axe at his side enviously. "One day," she whispered longingly to herself, unaware she had actually spoken.

Artix looked up suddenly, dismounting his horse and grabbing the ax at his side. Robina lept deftly off of her horse as well, pulling an arrow out of its holder and placing it in her bow.

"Who's there?" Artix called. "Show yourself!"

Aerylae gathered her long dark cloak close and pressed herself against the tree, closing her eyes and praying to the fire lord that they would not see her. Artix and Robina seemed friendly, but she was not about to take any chances.

After what seemed like an eternity, Robina dropped her bow and turned to her brother. "It was probably a BURP," she said, laughing. "Always jumpy, Artix."

"You're the ranger," he muttered, still scanning the forest around them warily. "You're _supposed_ to be the jumpy one."

Robina cuffed him gently on the shoulder. After tying up her horse, she pulled a fire stone out of her belt pouch and began rubbing it against a stick. "Go tie up Bernt and get the food out of the saddle bags, Artix. If it's just a BURP we won't have any trouble bringing it down."

"And if it isn't?"

Robina shrugged cheerfully, and went back to her task.


	3. The Darkness

The forest was pitch black. Aerylae was still huddled against the tree, next to her horse. Artix and Robina were curled in thin sleep-sacks next to their dying fire.

Tentaivly, Aerylae stretched a leg. After the incident with Artix she had not dared to move, and every muscle in her body was screaming.

Gazing into the darkness, she fingered the sword at her belt nervously. Aldon had pressed it into her hands just before she had left.

"Aldon…where did you get this?"

"The blacksmith," he said, ruffling her hair. "Where else would I get one?"

"Aldon…" Aerylae began again. She touched the sword longingly, but she knew she couldn't accept it.

"It's a gift, Aery. A parting gift." Aldon hugged her tight. "Come back," he whispered into her hair. "Come back on a war stallion in the finest suit of armor ever made so I can say 'Look! That is my sister!'"

A rustle in the darkness ahead of her made her jump up and unsheathe the sword. She crouched carefully behind the same tree, praying that it was only a BURP.

Minutes passed without another sound and Aerylae was just about to re-sheath her sword when something stepped into the clearing. Its scales gleamed in the dying firelight. Lifting its long snout, it sniffed the air and grunted.

Two more Drakels appeared behind the first and Aerylae sucked in her breath. She weighed her options carefully.

She could sneak around and surprise them, but the ensuing commotion would wake Artix and Robina.

No, she didn't particularly want them to wake up. There would be too many questions to answer and the village elders were within their rights if they captured her now and brought her back to the village to be wed. Aerylae shuddered. She wasn't safe until she reached Battleon and earned guardian status.

She could hide and let the Drakels do as they pleased.

No! Aerylae was ashamed for even considering the option. It was completely dishonorable.

She sighed, stepped from behind the tree, and spoke in a clear, firm, voice.

"Get. Out."

The Drakel and its two other Drakel companions turned to face her, surprised evident in their reptilian features.

The first Drakel regained his composure quickly and sneered at her. "Who are you to tell me this, human? My warriors and I could easily defeat you and your companions. Just step aside and then perhaps we will let you live."

"Do you jest, Drakel? If it is a fight you want, then I am ready." Aerylae's voice was firm but she gripped her sword tighly for comfort.

What was she thinking? The only fighting she had ever done was stick fighting in the yard with the village boys. The footwork and arm swings of the two weapons were practically identical, but they were still different weapons.

Oh yes, that was it. She wasn't thinking.

The Drakel glanced at his companions lazily. "Awake your _lekth_, human. I have little time."

"_Lekth_?"

"Kin. Mates. Companions. Why do you not wake them?"

Aerylae ignored the question. "I will fight you on my own."

The Drakel laughed. "Fool." He flicked his head towards his companions and suddenly they were grouped together before Aerylae, twirling their staffs in their hands.

Aerylae crouched low in fighting position, holding her sword in front of her.

With a sudden, bird-like cry, the lead Drakel lunged at her and she twisted, spinning on her angle and bringing the sword across her body in an arc.

It caught him in the arm and he let out another cry, and staggered backwards, purplish blood glistening eerily in the moonlight.

Aerylae could hear rustling behind her and she knew, with certainty, that Robina and Artix were up, but the thought did not register fully in her mind. She was too caught up in the fight.

Whirling again she knocked the staff out of the second Drakel's hand, catching him in the neck with her blade. He fell backwards, blood spurting from his neck.

She ducked and lunged, catching the Drakel leader's staff with the flat of her blade. It flew far out of his reach. Aerylae advanced on him, holding her blade high.

To her surprise, there was no fear in his eyes. "So, red-haired one, you are better than we thought." He laughed. "You should be Drakel, from the joy you take in the killing."

A wave of anger washed over Aerylae. "It is dishonorable to find joy in the taking of another life."

The Drakel looked at her patiently from the ground, ignoring the fact that the tip of her sword was at his neck. "Those that do not acknowledge their own darkness are doomed to fall prey to it."

With one swift movement, Aerylae cut his throat. She turned, breathing heavily not from exhaustion, but from the turmoil of emotions that rose in her chest as her battle-joy faded away.

She kneeled on the ground, her long, unbound hair falling to hide her face. Gathering herself together and wiping her blade on the grass she stood, and turned to face the two dumbfounded people behind her.

"Who are you?" Artix's forehead furrowed. He was frowning.

"Aerylae." She met his clear, brown-eyed gaze with her own strong green one.

"Aerylae…" Robina said. She was looking at Aerylae with a mixture of curiosity and calm.

"It is custom in my village to have no surname." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Aerylae regretted them. Fire lord! Now they would know what village she belonged to.

She scanned the siblings' faces, but saw no flicker of recognition. _They're obviously important, Aerylae_, she thought, scolding herself mentally. _Their only business with the villages is protecting them_.

"What is your business in these woods?" Artix was still frowning at her.

Aerylae felt a rush of annoyance. She had just saved his life. This treatment was inexcusable.

Drawing herself up to her full height, Aerylae glared at the tall, muscular warrior. "You have no right to question my purpose here, warrior."

"Paladin, actually," Robina corrected. She looked at her brother reproachfully but he did not notice.

"I have every right to question your purpose here, _pinrec_," he said haughtily, using the most offensive word for peasant. "I am Artix Von Krieger, leader of the paladin order."

"I still see no reason to answer your question, moreso as you have just insulted me." Aerylae snapped, secretly startled. Paladin leader? He was so young!

Robina was now glaring at her brother as well. "Artix! Control yourself! By the earth lord, she just saved our lives!"

At the mention of this, Artix looked mortified. Aerylae grinned smugly. By insulting her after she had saved the life of him _and_ his kin, Artix had just broken a Paladin code.

"Forgive me," he said, inclining his head towards the girl in front of him.

"Of course," Aerylae answered coolly. From her tone it was obvious Artix was not forgiven.

Robina strode toward her, hand palm up in traditional salute. "I am Robina Hood. Welcome, Aerylae. I would be honored if you shared our fire and journeyed with us to Battleon."

Aerylae paced her hand flat on top of Robina's, completing the salute. "I would be honored to share with you," she said shyly.


	4. Battleon

The sun shone down on Aerylae's face and she tilted her chin towards it, closing her eyes and smiling as her cheeks became pleasantly warm.

"Thank you, light lord," she whispered, well aware it was forbidden to pledge allegiance to more than one elemental lord.

She sighed. Most warriors were strongest in the element of the lord they pledged allegiance to. Aerylae had been pledged to the fire lord at birth, like the rest of her village. She would have loved, as warriors were allowed, to choose allegiance to an elemental lord the day she became a guardian.

"Robina?" she asked, turning to the girl riding beside her. "If you're already pledged to a lord when you become a guardian, are you allowed to switch allegiance?"

Robina took a piece of her long brown hair and chewed the tip thoughtfully. "It's rare, but not unheard of," she said slowly. "I believe you have to perform a quest for the lord you wish to switch to."

"Hm," Aerylae looked at the reins in her hands thoughtfully.

"You're best just staying with the fire lord, Aery," Robina said, blue eyes looking worriedly at her new friend. "As rare as it is to change lords, it is even rarer for an adventurer to come back from a lord's quest alive."

"Why did you choose the earth lord?" Aerylae asked, changing the subject quickly.

"Oh, I didn't choose him," Robina smiled. "He chose me."

"But I thought guardians choose their lords."

"No," Robina explained. "I am not allowed to speak of them, but there are certain rituals in which a lord chooses you. The lord of light chose Artix," she nodded at her twin, riding ahead of them. "It is rare for twins to pledge to different lords."

Another thought crossed Aerylae's mind. "Robina, why isn't your surname Von Krieger, as Artix's is?"

"Rangers choose their own names once they come into their skills. My name was once Von Krieger as well."

Aerylae nodded to show she had understood. The women lapsed into comfortable silence.

"This is the boring part of getting to Battleon," Robina complained. "But you've never been to Battleon, have you Aery?"

"No," Aerylae admitted, feeling heat rise to her cheeks. She frowned, remembering. "The men rarely leave the village, the woman never."

"That sounds dull."

"It is," Aerylae replied, a million miles away. She remembered stick-fighting at dawn, and the women dancing at the festival of the fire lord.

"You never told us what you seek in Battleon," Robina commented idly.

Aerylae was suddenly wary. She liked Robina, but she couldn't tell her anything. The last thing she wanted was word getting out of her whereabouts. The council of elders would send riders after her, with Rilg heading them. She would be dragged back to the village and forced to marry.

Forced to leave her dreams forever.

A shout from Artix jostled her uncomfortably out of her thoughts.

"Look!" he said, pointing to a hazy outline in the distance. "We're almost at Battleon!" He spurred his horse to a gallop, leaving his sister and Aerylae behind in a cloud of dust.

"Brother, we need to work on your manners!" Robina yelled after him, but he was already too far away to hear her. She shrugged.

"We can't let him get away with that sort of behavior, can we?" Aerylae asked, green eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Of course not," Robina said, her blue eyes matching the look in Aerylae's. "Race you!" With that, she kicked her horse and sped off.

"Fire lord," Aerylae swore, and pushed her own horse into a sprint.

* * *

Aerylae had expected to outstrip the twins easily. Her father had taught her to ride a horse before she could walk.

She passed Robina with ease, but try as hard as she could, the distance between her horse and Artix's horse stayed the same.

The finally pulled their horses just to a stop outside of Battleon, waiting for Robina who was still a shape in the distance. Aerylae surveyed the town with interest. There was a tall stone tower and three large wooden buildings, each outfitted with good glass windows and thick doors. Outside of the largest she could see a large salamander, laden with bags.

"That's Valencia's," Artix said, noticing where Aerylae was looking. "There she is now."

A tall, lithe woman came out from behind the largest wooden building. She had long purple hair, tall boots like Robina's, frilly crimson breeches, a frilly white shirt and a leather vest. She wore many bangles and cuffs around her neck, in her ears, on her ankles, and on her wrists.

A small purple creature with large ears, small white wings, and a tail floated near her head.

"What is that?" Aerylae asked curiously, animosity with Artix forgotten momentarily.

"That's Truffle," he said, laughing. "It never leaves 'Lencia's side."

The woman looked up, saw Artix, and waved. "Artix!" she called. "Finally got yourself a girl?"

Aerylae could feel her cheeks burning. She glanced sideways at Artix and saw that he had turned bright red as well.

"No, 'Lencia!" he shouted back. "Robina and I picked her up on the way back."

Aerylae glared at him. "Picked me up?" she asked, an edge to her voice.

Artix glanced at her. "Yes, picked you up."

"If I recall correctly –"

Robina rode up just then. She looked amusedly at her twin and friend, but said nothing.

"Robina, we need to get this to Warlic," Artix said, patting a saddlebag. "Aerylae –"

"Is welcome to join us," Robina finished smoothly. "In fact, I would be quite offended if she didn't." Her blue eyes danced teasingly.

Aerylae laughed. "Then I suppose I have no other choice."

Artix snorted, and dismounted. He lead his horse over to a tree, and looped its reins around a branch. "Twilly?" he called.

"Twilly?" Aerylae turned to Robina.

"A moglin," Robina said. "He's a healer. Occasionally he'll help you in a battle, but it's very rare."

Just then, a creature peeked its head from out behind the tree. It squealed in delight when it saw Artix and Robina.

"Artix! Robina! I am so glad you have come back. Warlic will be pleased!" He looked at them in concern. "Do you need healings?"

Robina laughed and ruffled the creature's reddish brown fur fondly. "We're fine, Twilly. We had a run in with some Drakel, but Aerylae fought them off."

"Aerylae?" Twilly peered around Robina. His face broke into a grin and his long ears twitched happily. "Hiya! I am so pleased to meet you! You are a fighter?"

"Sort of," Aerylae said, smiling at Twilly. The moglin gave off such a cheerful air, you had to have a heart of stone not to smile at his antics.

"Well, you come to me if you need healings!" Twill said firmly.

Robina and Aerylae tied their horses to the same tree as Artix had, and followed him to one of the wooden buildings. Aerylae paused to look at the great stone tower looming in the distance.

"Robina, what is that tower?"

"That's the guardian tower," Robina said. "Come. We need to give this to Warlic."

Aerylae sucked in her breath. The guardian tower! Soon, soon –

"Aerylae, come! This is important."

Glaring at Artix, she followed him inside the building.


	5. Meeting Warlic and Minor Difficulties

Aerylae looked around the room with interest. The walls were a deep purple and the ceiling was hung with thick dark blue sashes and lanterns. Around the walls and piled haphazardly on shelves were all manner of odd things: unusually shaped clay pots, strange herbs and glass bottles filled with mysterious liquids

"This is Warlic's shop," Robina said, striding over to a corner where a large bell hung. She tugged the long red rope hanging from it.

"Warlic?" Aerylae asked.

Just then, a man stepped from behind one of the curtains. Aerylae eyed him curiously.

He wore a long, heavy dark blue velvet robe. The edges of the draping sleeves were embroidered with copper thread and encrusted with green pearls. He wore two large golden cuffs just below his shoulders, each hung with an emerald. The high collar of the robe held three circular gold discs with a ruby in their centers. A wooden staff with gold inlays and green stones hung from his back.

"At your service," he quietly, the tone of his voice belying amusement. His grey eyes twinkled at Aerylae from behind their thatch of elegant grey hair.

"Aerylae, this is the wizard Warlic, one of the greatest in Lore. Warlic, this is Aerylae. She helped me and Robina out of a tricky spot with Drakels on the way back from the journey."

"She did more than help us out, Artix, she saved our lives!"

"Forgive me," Artix said sarcastically. "I had forgotten."

Warlic looked at Aerylae long and hard. She shifted uncomfortably under his incisive gaze. "Interesting," he said finally, before looking away. "Robina, Artix, I trust you have brought what I asked?"

"Right here," Robina said cheerfully, and withdrew a cloth-wrapped package from her belt purse.

"Thank you, my friends. Perhaps Galanoth and Cyrus will stop fighting with each other long enough to be able to test this for me." Gracefully, he strode over to one of the longer blue curtains and brushed it aside, turning for a moment and beckoning to the three people behind him. "Well? Aren't you curious to see what the fruits of your labor shall bring?"

Artix, Robina, and Aerylae followed him to a small room much like the first. It was obviously Warlic's workroom. A large clay pot bubbled happily on a small fire pit cut into the center of the room.

Warlic took the staff from his back and began passing it over the pot, chanting under his breath. Carefully he unwrapped the package and dumped the herbs it contained into the cauldron.

There was a puff of purple smoke. With a small 'pop', the cauldron let out a blinding flash of light.

"By the earth lord Warlic, what are you making?!" Robina shouted, rubbing her smarting eyes with the back of her hand.

"It's a dragon detection potion," Warlic answered, pouring the contents of the pot into a glass bottle and corking it.

"Dragon detection?" Artix asked, his brown eyes confused. "But why –"

"There has lately been a large amount of powerful magical residue in this area. I know of no other creature to attribute this to but dragons."

Aerylae sucked in a long, slow breath. The last time there had been a dragon war she was young, but she remembered it well. The two neighboring villages to hers had been completely and utterly destroyed. There had been no survivors.

"Then all of Lore is in grave danger," she said.

"Yes." Warlic nodded. "Grave danger indeed."

* * *

Aerylae, Artix, and Robina walked back to their horses in silence. Finally, Artix spoke.

"I am leaving for the Paladin Order early tomorrow, and Robina is bound for Krovesport. Where do you go, Aerylae?"

Aerylae felt now she could explain what she planned to do. "I hope to train as a guardian," she said shyly.

To her surprise, Artix did not sneer, but offered help.

"Things are quiet with the order right now and it might be best that I stay in Battleon to see if my help is needed with this dragon mess. I am willing to help train you."

"I…um…that would be wonderful Artix, thank you," she said sincerely.

"Good," he said brusquely. "I believe Yulgar has some rooms available at the Inn. Robina, are you joining us?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I must get back to Krovesport. If what Warlic says is true I must ready the rangers. And Cyrus and Galanoth will certainly welcome our scouting abilities."

"Of course," Artix pecked her on the cheek. "Send word if you uncover anything interesting."

"Now, brother, when have I ever kept anything from you?" Robina said, grinning impishly.

"More times than I care to remember."

"You wound me. Well, Aery, I will certainly miss you. If Artix gets uppity don't hesitate to put him in his place."

Aerylae hid a grin at the disgruntled look on Artix's face. "Yes, Robina. May your lord be with you on your journey."

"The same to you both!"

Robina swung herself up onto her horse. With one last wave, she nudged the animal's side and it galloped past them, on the road to Krovesport.

"Uppity. Pah." Aerylae heard Artix mumble. "Come." He said, pointing at the largest wooden building. "Let us see what Yulgar has in the way of accommodations."

* * *

The rooms Yulgar supplied were small, but a fire burned cheerfully in a small hearth and the wooden bed in the corner was piled high with good wool blankets. Moving to the window, Aerylae saw that the sun had set and the sky twinkled with stars. She yawned, overcome by a sudden wave of exhaustion.

Artix chuckled behind her and she turned, surprised but too tired to be embarrassed at her momentary show of weakness.

"You've had an exciting week, haven't you." His voice was warm but behind it Aery sensed the disregard for a peasant girl, his vision of her as a starry eyed innocent caught up in the adventure of a lifetime.

"Oh, yes, until now I didn't know that there were other people on earth besides the ones in my village!" Too late Aerylae realized how harsh her words sounded. Artix's face closed itself up once more. "I…" she said.

"Forgive me. I hadn't meant to insult." His voice was icy. "But praytell, why did you leave your village, then? Surely, someone as worldly as you must have had their reasons for living there."

Aerylae pressed her face against the cool windowpane. So many thoughts swirled through her exhausted mind. "Goodnight, Paladin."

She wasn't sure if he whispered "Goodnight, Aerylae" or the sound was of the door closing as he retired to his room.


End file.
